Chapter 61: Bounty Hunter

Situated in a valley surrounded by large hills was a city. The city had no walls around it, instead, large hills served as a natural defense premier encompassing it.

The city was eerily dark, not a single light source could be found in it even though the sky was pitch black, yet the black-haired occupants of this city seemed unbothered by this detail. The streets bustled with activities as these individuals went about their daily lives.

Among this crowd of individuals was a seemingly unassuming figure. Just like the rest of those present, the male figure had black hair and long ears. His height, compared to those around him was average, around 182 cm tall, and his facial features were also unremarkable.

The individual navigated the crowd skillfully as he headed to a bustling tavern at the center of the unnamed street.

The tavern was made of ash-colored bricks, similar to the buildings beside it. Outside of the tavern was a group of black-haired females dressed in provocative attires. These individuals called out to male passers-by with flirtatious attitudes yet interesting enough, they seemed oblivious to the presence of this unassuming male as he walked right past them.

Once inside the tavern, the man cast a casual glance at the wall to the right side of the tavern. On it was the wanted poster of a youth with shoulder-length dark hair, deep dark eyes, and handsome facial features. The name written underneath the depiction was Zaos Qildor.

The man smiled as he thought to himself.

[They keep searching for me, yet here I am,] This unassuming figure was actually a persona Zaos had adopted using his shapeshifting ability!

He retreated his gaze from the poster and proceeded to take a seat at a corner of the busy establishment.

He sat there patiently for a few minutes before an individual sporting a black hooded robe walked over to him. The individual sat opposite him and addressed him slowly.

"Ghost, a new bounty has surfaced." The hooded figure spoke in a deeper tone than normal, they seemed to be deliberately concealing their real voice.

Ghost was the nickname name of the persona Zaos currently portrayed. He worked as a bounty hunter based in Larek City.

"Who is it?" Zaos calmly asked.

"Someone from the Satron clan: Zente Satron. It's said that he stole something valuable from the clan and escaped. The clan issued a bounty worth 50 good-quality mana gems!" The hooded individual became more excited as they spoke.

50 good quality mana gems was a substantial sum for a bounty reward. It could be deduced that the Satron clan placed a great deal of importance on the stolen item.

"I see. Do you have any information on him?" Zaos asked as he leaned forward.

The hooded figure nodded and spoke, "I do. According to my sources, Zente was last seen entering the Forsaken Woods." The figure passed Zaos a stack of papers.

Zaos raised his brows at the mention of the location, he received the documents and read them for a few seconds.

"Alright, I will see what I can do," He said as he shoved the papers into a sac he had tied to his waist.

He stood up and bid the hooded figure farewell before exiting the tavern.

Once outside, he walked to his residence in the city. After arriving at the single-floored, gray-colored building, Zaos unlocked the door and made his way in.

He took a seat on the simple wooden chair in the living room and took out the stack of documents.

[I have an excuse to revisit the Forsaken Woods once again…] Zaos flipped through the information on the bounty.

Zente Satron was a dark elf with long wavy hair, short stature, and a pale, skinny physique.

According to the document, he was a high elf with a considerable amount of experience in battle.

[Hope he doesn't disappoint me,] Zaos' expression betrayed his enthusiasm.

[Although, the venue for the hunt is quite convenient. I have been meaning to re-explore the Forsaken Woods…] Zaos stroked his chin.

Ever since his escape from the Venifiel clan two months ago, Zaos had been busy familiarizing himself with his new identity; Volron AKA Ghost.

This identity was stolen from an actual bounty hunter without much backing that Zaos had come across. He decided to take on this persona for two reasons.

The first reason was because he wanted an identity with a history. This was important in case a background check was ever done on him.

The second was the most important reason. He wanted to gain access to the intricate network of bounty hunters to track the progress they made in their search for him. Although he had confidence in his shape-shifting ability, he decided to exercise caution. Plus, this line of work satisfied his desire for battle and gained him some extra funds.

Gathering his thoughts, Zaos formulated a plan for his exploration of the Forsaken Woods.

[Finding Zente Satron shouldn't be too much of a problem. The forest is mainly populated by Savage Beasts, tracks made by elves will stick out like a sore thumb in that environment. I just need to follow them…

[After I apprehend him, I can explore the forest.] Zaos strategized.

Satisfied with his plan, Zaos exited the living room and made his way into the small kitchen.

He grabbed a few ingredients lying around and began preparation for a simple meal consisting of meat and some vegetables.

Within a few minutes, he successfully cooked his meal. He then took his food to the living room and devoured it begrudgingly.

[I miss the luxury of having a personal servant…] Zaos sighed.

Although his wealth hadn't decreased by much, he dared not utilize it recklessly out of caution. His current persona; Volron wasn't wealthy so a sudden increase in his assets would raise unnecessary suspension.

[This situation wouldn't last long though, the Dark-elf Tribe will become more chaotic as the war gets fiercer. I can move freely then,] Zaos had a cold smirk on his face.

After two months of constant battles, the war at the borders expanded its scope as more powerful individuals joined the fray. It wouldn't be long before cities beyond the borders were affected by this massive war plunging the Dark-elf Tribe into a chaotic scenario.

With these dark thoughts in mind, Zaos finished his meal and made his way to his bedroom.

He changed into his assassin attire and prepped a sac filled with essentials for outdoor camping.

When finished, he exited his residence with a giant grin on his face.

[Time to hunt some prey!]